Survey on Local NGOs’ Use of Internet Communication Tools ...€¦ · Internet communication tools to reach youths 7 [Q2] Compared with the traditional methods, what do you think

Survey on Local NGOs’ Use of Internet Communication Tools for Youth Service

Dr Robert T. Y. CHUNG Director of Public Opinion Programme, HKU

3 June 2013

The University of Hong Kong Public Opinion Programme

Microsoft Hong Kong Limited The Hong Kong Council of Social Service

Research Background

Objective: To understand the situation and concerns of using Internet communication tools for youth service in local NGOs.

POP has consulted Microsoft and HKCSS in designing the questionnaire while POP enjoyed full autonomy in fieldwork operation, data collection and data analysis. POP takes full responsibility for all findings reported.

The research methodology and all survey findings will be open for public consumption.

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Contact Information

Date of survey: 6 to 27 May 2013

Target population: Representatives of local NGOs that provide service to youths (of age 15-24), contact list provided by HKCSS

Survey method: HKCSS invited 172 agency members to participate in this survey via email, a short list of 64 interested organizations was given to HKUPOP to conduct telephone interviews

Sample size: Representatives of 53 out of the 64 organizations completed the telephone interviews, the cooperation rate is 91.4%, amounting to 30.8% of the total agency members

Standard error: Assuming no response bias, the sampling error of all percentages at 95% confidence level should be no more than +/- 11.5 percentage points

1) Current situation of youth service provision

Social workers in 70% NGOs surveyed usually use social networking websites to communicate with youths

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[Q1] Which method(s) do social workers (including the respondent) in your organization usually use when communicating with the youth? Please include both traditional method(s) and Internet communication tool(s). [Do not read out options, multiple answers allowed]

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

OthersStreet outreachOnline forums

ActivitiesBlogs

Online instant messengersPublications / Letters

WebsitesSMS

Instant messaging appsEmail

Face-to-face interviews / home visitsTelephone

Social networking websites

9% 2% 2%

6% 9% 9%

13% 15% 15%

42% 49%

58% 60%

70%

Base = 53

2) Comparison of communication methods

Fast / instant responses is the main advantage of using Internet communication tools to reach youths

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[Q2] Compared with the traditional methods, what do you think are the advantage(s) of using Internet communication tools, including WhatsApp, Line, WeChat, Facebook, social networking websites and interactive pages, etc, to reach out to the youth? [Do not read out options, multiple answers allowed]

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

No advantageOthers

Easy to establish relationships based on mutual trustCan reach the youth who always stay at home

Increase the youth's sense of securityOne-to-one interaction, can enhance privacy

Leave record for analysisLow cost

Can reach a wider scope of teenagersFree from geographical constraints

More willing to voice their feelings & difficultiesEasy to keep in touch with the youth

Can reach the youth proactivelyConvenient

Easy to be accepted by the youthFast / instant responses

2% 9%

2% 2% 2%

4% 6%

8% 8% 8%

9% 11%

17% 25%

38% 62%

Base = 53

However, nearly one-fifth of organizations consider not able to obtain instant responses is actually the main problem of these tools

8 [Q3] What do you think are the restriction(s) or difficulties of using Internet communication tools to reach out to the youth? [Do not read out options, multiple answers allowed]

0% 5% 10% 15% 20%

Don't know / hard to sayNo restrictions / difficulties

OthersSocial workers cannot keep track of online information / topics

Difficult to understand the youthPrivacy protection

Difficult to seek out the youth in need through the InternetSeems unreal

Social workers not familiar with latest devices / Internet toolsCannot express thoroughly with words

Difficult to ensure information reliabilityDifficult to identify the youth’s problems

Difficult to keep in touch with the youthInsufficient resources / manpower

Need to conduct counseling at night / after midnightCannot pay attention to the youth’s facial expressions and gestures

The youth may not have / use these toolsCannot obtain instant responses

9% 8%

9% 2% 2%

6% 6% 6%

8% 9% 9% 9% 9%

11% 11%

13% 15%

17%

Base = 53

Social workers in half of the NGOs surveyed would use multiple user accounts to reach out to the youths

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[Q4] Generally speaking, do social workers in your organization use one account or multiple accounts to handle this kind of work?

Use one account 34%

Use multiple accounts

51%

No accounts 6%

Don't know / hard to say

9%

Base = 53

More than half of the NGOs do not provide guidelines to social workers on the disclosure of

their identities when using Internet communication tools

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[Q5] Is there any guideline provided by your organization to social workers, so they know under what circumstances they should disclose their social workers’ identities when using Internet communication tools to reach out to the youth?

Yes 42%

No 53%

Don't know / hard to say

6%

Base = 53

NGO representatives generally agree that a system that allows users to use a single login name to handle multiple Internet

communication accounts can help social workers

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[Q6] If the system allows users to use a single login name to handle multiple Internet communication accounts (e.g. Facebook and Twitter), do you think it would help social workers in your organization to handle their daily tasks? Please use a scale of 0 -10 marks to rate, in which 0 represents no help at all, 5 represents half-half, 10 represents great help.

[Read out: For the following questions, please assume there is an “Organization Cloud” system, which assists the front-line social workers in using Internet communication tools to reach out to the youth and handle the information of the target groups.]

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Don't know /hard to say

10

8 - 9

6 - 7

5

3 - 4

1 - 2

2%

2%

35%

40%

10%

8%

4%

Base = 52

Mean = 6.6 marks Std. error = 0.28 marks Median = 7.0 marks Base = 51

NGO representatives also welcome a system that enables the setting up of different discussion groups for youths to share content while

information access and content can be managed by social workers

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[Q7] If the system allows users to set up different discussion groups for the youth to share content, and social workers can monitor the information access control and content in the discussion groups, do you think it would help social workers in your organization to handle their daily tasks? Please use a scale of 0 -10 marks to rate, in which 0 represents no help at all, 5 represents half-half, 10 represents great help.

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Don’t know / hard to say

8 - 9

6 - 7

5

3 - 4

1 - 2

0

4%

19%

40%

25%

9%

2%

2%

Base = 53

Mean = 6.0 marks Std. error = 0.27 marks Median = 6.0 marks Base = 51

NGO representatives generally agree that a cloud-based system that enables multimedia

communications with youths is useful to social workers

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[Q8] Then if this organization cloud-based system enables multimedia communications with the youth, such as text messages, voice messages and video, do you think it would help social workers in your organization to handle their daily tasks? Please use a scale of 0 -10 marks to rate, in which 0 represents no help at all, 5 represents half-half, 10 represents great help.

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Don't know /hard to say

10

8 - 9

6 - 7

5

3 - 4

1 - 2

4%

6%

30%

28%

23%

6%

4%

Base = 53

Mean = 6.5 marks Std. error = 0.28 marks Median = 7.0 marks Base = 51

3) Directions for youth service development

One-third of NGO representatives said content and information of online platforms should match the youth’s taste or interest

15 [Q9] What do you think would encourage the youth to use Internet communication tools more when communicating with social workers? [Do not read out options, multiple answers allowed]

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Don’t know / hard to say

No

Others

Set up reward schemes that encourage frequent browsing

Set up Internet radio

Regular activities for creative exchanges

Launch Internet games

Set up chat rooms

Set up discussion forums

Social workers / staff always provide instant response

Easy / convenient for the youth to use

Promotion

Content & info of platforms should match youth’s taste/interest

26%

8%

19%

2%

2%

2%

2%

4%

8%

9%

11%

15%

32%

Base = 53

Less than half of the NGOs would increase resources in the coming year to develop Internet communication tools

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[Q10] Would you anticipate your organization would increase resources in further promoting the use of Internet communication tools in youth service in the coming year?

Yes 47%

No 43%

Don't know / hard to say

9%

Base = 53

40% of NGO representatives said the IT support they need most is comprehensive computer equipment

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[Q11] What kind of IT support do you think your organization needs the most when using Internet communication tools in providing youth services? [Do not read out options, multiple answers allowed]

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Don't know / hard to sayNo need

OthersArchive / backup copy for online communication

Online donation systemPrivacy protection for online communication

A stable fixed communications networkSimple and easy-to-use online interactive platforms

Service management systemProfessionals to monitor the server

Professionals to develop mobile appsA stable mobile communications network

Professionals to develop websitesIT training

Comprehensive computer equipment

8% 13%

9% 2%

4% 6% 6% 6%

8% 9%

11% 17% 17%

21% 40%

Base = 53

90% NGO representatives think the Government should provide support to youth servicing organizations

in using Internet communication tools

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[Q12] Do you think the government should provide support to youth servicing organizations in using Internet communication tools? If yes, what kind of assistance do you think the government should provide? [Do not read out options, multiple answers allowed]

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Don't know / hard to say

No

No suggestion

Communication record

Assist in promotion

Assist in network service, e.g. public wifi

Provide relevant guidelines, e.g. privacy protection

Through one-off specified subsidy

Set up a regular subsidy mode

Provide subsidies for purchasing software

Provide training

Provide subsidies for purchasing hardware

4%

6%

2%

2%

8%

11%

15%

15%

23%

28%

38%

40%

Base = 53

Yes 91%

Almost 2/3 of NGOs surveyed have staff guidelines on security measures in using Internet communication tools

19 [Q13] Does your organization provide any guidelines to staff on security measures in using Internet communication tools, such as archiving, backup and privacy protection of using Internet communication tools?

Yes 64%

No 30%

Don't know / hard to say

6%

Base = 53

One-third of NGOs would consider switching from “public cloud” to “private cloud”, mainly out of security concerns;

those not considering to do so are constrained by resources

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[Q14] Would your organization consider switching the Internet communication tools from “public cloud” to the organization’s “private cloud” system?

Yes 32% No

62%

Don’t know / hard to say

6%

Base = 53

Because:

No resources to set up one’s cloud system (40%)

Because:

Better information security (26%)

[Q15a] Why would your organization consider switching it?

[Q15b] Why wouldn’t your organization consider switching it?

Conclusion

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• Social workers in the NGOs covered in this study use social networking websites to communicate with youths most frequently, followed by telephone, and face-to-face interview / home visit.

• NGOs think that the major benefit of using Internet communication tools is to obtain fast and instant responses from the targets. However, the inability to obtain instant response is also the main constraint or difficulty cited by the NGOs.

• Half of the interviewed NGOs said that their social workers would use multiple accounts of Internet communication tools to reach the youth, but more than half of the organizations do not provide any guidelines on when to disclose their social workers’ identities.

• Over 90% of the NGOs think the Government should provide support to youth servicing organization in the usage of Internet communication tools, such as offering subsidies for purchasing hardware and providing training.

• Most of the NGOs interviewed would not consider transferring from public cloud to private cloud systems hosted by their own organization, mainly due to a lack of resources, a few would consider doing so out of information security concerns.

Profile Information of Interviewed NGOs

Number of Staff Responsible for Youth Service

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1-10 43%

11-20 8%

21-100 25%

More than 100 17%

Don’t know / hard to say

8%

Base = 53

Position of Respondents

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Employer / president /

managing director / CEO 2%

Managerial staff / manger / senior

administrative staff 42%

Other administrative staff

(e.g. officer) 40%

Clerical staff (e.g. clerk, secretary)

6%

Registered social worker

8% Others

4%

Base = 53

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Categorization of Organizations

Category Annual Expenditure* (HK$) Percentage (number)

Small size organization Below 1 million 6% (3)

Medium size organization

Between 1 million and 10 millions 32% (17)

Large size organization More than 10 millions 47% (25)

Don’t know / hard to say 15% (8)

Total 53

* Categorization was based on the expenditure of Year 2011-12.

End of Presentation

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